East Arm Little Calumet River Fishing
A river of LaPorte and Porter counties; DNR put-and-take salmonid stream.
Pick for chinook salmonPiscifun Viper X spinning reel50% OFFSale $39.99 Photo of Lake Michigan: Ken Lund, CC BY-SA 2.0
What an Indiana angler should know about the East Arm Little Calumet River
Through LaPorte and Porter counties, the East Arm Little Calumet River traces 19 miles of mapped NHD line. It carries the label DNR put-and-take salmonid stream and DNR salmonid stream. From the mapped point it is roughly 3 miles to Chesterton.
It feeds Lake Michigan and draws its runs.
USGS NHD named flowlines (mapped length in Indiana, not a DNR figure); Indiana DNR stream designation layers and Fishing Access Sites, read November 5, 2026.
How the DNR classes the East Arm Little Calumet River
- DesignationDNR put-and-take salmonid stream
- DesignationDNR salmonid stream
- Reach as listedSalt Creek system also part of this system.
State lists supplied the East Arm Little Calumet River entries above.
Natural Resources Commission Outstanding Rivers list (2013), DNR put-and-take and salmonid stream layers, Indiana navigable waterways list; read November 5, 2026.
USGS stations on the East Arm Little Calumet River
NWS gauges on the East Arm Little Calumet River
| NWS gauge | Reading | Flow | Flood category | Time (UTC) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| East Arm Little Calumet River at Porter | 3.56 ft | 0.0605 kcfs | no flooding | 2026-11-05 19:45:00 UTC |
NOAA National Water Prediction Service gauge readings (water.noaa.gov), read November 5, 2026; dated readings, not live (kcfs = thousand cubic feet per second).
USGS instantaneous values, provisional.
Species on the DNR list for the East Arm Little Calumet River
The East Arm Little Calumet River names follow DNR wording.
Indiana DNR Fishing Access Sites species fields, Indiana DNR fish stocking dashboard (year, month, water, species, number and average length as listed; repeat stockings summed by DNR), read November 5, 2026; Indiana DNR Indiana Record Fish Program list (keeper: Indiana DNR Division of Fish & Wildlife (Indiana Record Fish Program); angler names left off here), read November 5, 2026.
Ramps and access sites on the East Arm Little Calumet River
| Site | Type | Recorded attributes | Managed by |
|---|---|---|---|
| Burns Harbor/NW Indiana Steelheaders on East Arm Little Calumet River | shore access | no fee recorded | NW Indiana Steelheaders |
| Howe Road shore access on East Arm Little Calumet River | shore access | courtesy dock, no fee recorded | Indiana Dunes National Lakeshore |
| Chustak State Fishing Area on Salt Creek (Porter County) | shore access | ADA access, no fee recorded | Division of Fish & Wildlife, Public Access North/ Lake Michigan Office |
| Old Mill Site on Eel River (Allen and Cass Counties) | boat ramp | concrete ramp, ADA access, no fee recorded | Tri-County Fish & Wildlife Area |
| Wildcat Creek Access | boat ramp | boat ramp, no fee recorded | Division of Fish & Wildlife, Public Access North |
| Sherman St. Bridge boat ramp on Saint Joseph River (Elkhart and St. Joseph Counties) | boat ramp | concrete ramp, ADA access, no fee recorded | Division of Fish & Wildlife, Public Access North/ City of Elkhart |
| Shaw Lake shore access | shore access | fee: Lake Permit Required, Electric only | Clark State Forest |
| Merom boat ramp on Wabash River | boat ramp | concrete ramp, no fee recorded, Electric only | Goose Pond Fish & Wildlife Area |
Indiana DNR Fishing Access Sites layer (shown on the DNR Where to Fish map; attributes as recorded, blank where not recorded), read November 5, 2026.
Run timing and stream rules on the East Arm Little Calumet River
- Coho and Chinook salmon (stream)September through mid-November
- Skamania (summer-run) steelhead (stream)Mid-July to mid-October; winter months January through March, depending on stream conditions; return from July (sometimes mid-June), spawn mid-February to March
- Michigan (winter-run) steelhead (stream)Mid-November to mid-March; return from mid to late October with the bulk in February and March; spawn March to mid-April
- Coho salmon (lake, boat and pier)Boat season from ice-out (mid-February to April); March to mid-May coho are close to 90 percent of the catch within two miles of shore; shore anglers best March through April
- Tributary rulesTributary Restrictions Possession of a fish spear, gig, gaff, bowfishing equipment, crossbow, grab hook, spear gun, club, snag hook, or underwater spear is prohibited in the following water bodies: in or adjacent to the Galena River (LaPorte County), Trail Creek (LaPorte County), the East Branch of the Little Calumet River (LaPorte and Porter counties), Salt Creek (Porter County), the West Branch of the Little Calumet River (Lake and Porter counties), Burns Ditch (Lake and Porter counties), Deep River downstream from the dam at Lake George (Lake County), and the tributaries to these waters.
- ClosuresTributary Closures No fishing is allowed within 100 feet upstream of the Trail Creek sea lamprey barrier or downstream to the Pottawattomie Country Club Golf Course property line located adjacent to Springland Avenue in Michigan City. Fishing is not allowed within 100 feet above or below the Praxair Dam on the East Branch of the Little Calumet River.
- DNR shoreline guideDeer Creek Path at Ameriplex Woods (S.R. 249/Ameriplex Drive) and Burns Harbor Public Access (S.R. 149/Navaho Drive) offer fishing on the East Arm; portions flow through Indiana Dunes National Park (guide p.4)
- DNR shoreline guideClosed to all fishing April 1 to June 15 from the branch at Burns Ditch upstream to U.S. 20 (guide p.15; check the current DNR fishing guide)
- DNR shoreline guideNo fishing within 100 feet above or below the Praxair Dam (guide p.15)
Anglers 18 and older carry an Indiana fishing license ($23 a year for residents, $60 for nonresidents). Fishing for trout or salmon in Lake Michigan and its tributaries also needs the $11 trout/salmon stamp.
Indiana DNR Lake Michigan fishing page and Lake Michigan section of the 2026-2027 Indiana Fishing Regulations Guide, read November 5, 2026.
For the chinook salmon herePiscifun AlumiX spinning reel46% OFFSale $64.99 What can go home from the East Arm Little Calumet River
| Species as printed | Daily limit | Size limit |
|---|---|---|
| Black Bass: largemouth, smallmouth, and spotted bass (in rivers and streams) | 5, any combination of largemouth, smallmouth, or spotted bass | No fish 12 to 15 inches may be kept, and no more than two fish over 15 inches may be kept |
| Catfish: Channel, Blue, Flathead (in rivers and streams) | Unlimited | 13 inches; not more than one blue catfish that’s at least 35 inches, one flathead catfish at least 35 inches, and one channel catfish at least 28 inches or longer may be kept |
| Bluegill | Unlimited | no size limit |
| Redear Sunfish | 25 | no size limit |
| White Bass, Hybrid Striped Bass | 12, any combination of white bass or hybrid striped bass | No more than two fish may exceed 17 inches |
| Walleye, Walleye-Sauger Hybrid (Saugeye), Sauger | 6, any combination of walleye, walleye-sauger hybrid, and sauger | For walleye: 14 inches south of SR 26; 16 inches north of SR 26 For sauger and saugeye: No size limit |
| Northern Pike | 3 | 24 inches; no more than one 30 inches or longer |
For the East Arm Little Calumet River, use the stream rows for bass and catfish.
- Inland troutInland Trout sizes & limits | Species | Daily Bag Limit | Minimum Size | Brook Trout | 5, any combination of brook, rainbow, or brown trout; no more than one may be brown trout | 7 inches* | Rainbow Trout | Brown Trout | *There is no minimum size limit for trout caught from lakes, except for an 18-inch size limit for brown trout at Oliver, Olin, and Martin lakes in LaGrange County and Brookville Lake tailwater (East Fork Whitewater River) in Franklin County. |
Anglers 18 and older carry an Indiana fishing license ($23 a year for residents, $60 for nonresidents). Fishing for trout or salmon also needs the $11 trout/salmon stamp.
Statewide limits as printed, 2026-2027 Indiana Fishing Regulations Guide (eRegulations, linked from the Indiana DNR), read November 5, 2026. Indiana DNR license fees (license year April 1 to March 31), read November 5, 2026.
The East Arm Little Calumet River beside other Indiana streams
For a second option near the East Arm Little Calumet River, Coffee Creek (Porter County) lies about 4 miles away.
| Stream | Distance | Mapped NHD miles in IN | USGS gauges | DNR ramps |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| East Arm Little Calumet River | this stream | 19 | 0 | 0 |
| Coffee Creek (Porter County) | 4 miles south | 10 | 0 | 0 |
| Reynolds Creek | 5 miles east | 4 | 0 | 0 |
| Salt Creek (Porter County) | 9 miles southwest | 16 | 2 | 0 |
| Trail Creek (LaPorte County) | 10 miles northeast | 6 | 2 | 1 |
| Crooked Creek (LaPorte and Porter Counties) | 15 miles south | 16 | 1 | 0 |
USGS NHD and gauges, Indiana DNR Fishing Access Sites; read November 5, 2026.
Down the state road from East Arm Little Calumet River
A second lake to try after East Arm Little Calumet River
- Harbor Lake5 miles
- Clear Lake (Porter County)6 miles
- Long Lake (Porter County)7 miles
- Loomis Lake8 miles
Bait counters along the drive to East Arm Little Calumet River
- Country Bait & Taxidermybait and tackle shop, Valparaiso, 5 miles
- Burns Harbor Townmarina, Chesterton, 6 miles
- Stevens Marinemarina, Michigan City, 6 miles
- The Bait Shopbait and tackle shop, Valparaiso, 7 miles
- Chiefsbaitbait and tackle shop, Michigan City, 8 miles
- Bass Pro Shops Portagesporting goods store, Portage, 8 miles
Hiring a Hoosier guide for East Arm Little Calumet River
- Canadian Fly-In Fishingcharter, Michigan City, (219) 872-8849
- Captain Q Charterscharter, Portage, (219) 869-0297
- Cloud Nine Fishing Charterscharter, Michigan City, (219) 898-5090
- Fire Drill Charterscharter, Michigan City, (219) 898-8111
- Rainmaker Charterscharter, Portage, (219) 762-9336
Beds and diners within reach of East Arm Little Calumet River
- Chesterton3 miles
- Porter4 miles
- Burns Harbor6 miles
Neighbouring streams of the East Arm Little Calumet River
- Coffee Creek (Porter County)4 miles
- Reynolds Creek5 miles
- Salt Creek (Porter County)9 miles
- Trail Creek (LaPorte County)10 miles
- Crooked Creek (LaPorte and Porter Counties)15 miles
Each county touching East Arm Little Calumet River, linked
- LaPorte County
- Porter County
Spinning reels from Piscifun suited to East Arm Little Calumet River
Piscifun and Amazon links are affiliate links; the site earns a commission on qualifying purchases.
Hoosier lakes and creeks near East Arm Little Calumet River, on camera
Photo: Ken Lund, CC BY-SA 2.0
Photo: David Wilson, CC BY 2.0
Photo: Joseph Gage, CC BY-SA 2.0
Photo: David Wilson, CC BY 2.0
What the bait counter hears about the East Arm Little Calumet River
How do I find the East Arm Little Calumet River?
Find it in LaPorte and Porter counties, and its mapped point is about 3 miles from Chesterton.
What length is given for the East Arm Little Calumet River?
The NHD map shows 19 miles of line in Indiana; that is a mapping figure, not a DNR survey.
Is there a ramp on the East Arm Little Calumet River?
Start at Burns Harbor/NW Indiana Steelheaders on East Arm Little Calumet River, one of 8 access sites.
What fish are in the East Arm Little Calumet River?
Expect common carp and catfish, by DNR records.
What bass rules apply on the East Arm Little Calumet River?
The guide row for rivers and streams reads: 5, any combination of largemouth, smallmouth, or spotted bass; No fish 12 to 15 inches may be kept, and no more than two fish over 15 inches may be kept
Which Indiana permit belongs in the tackle box for the East Arm Little Calumet River?
Anglers 18 and older carry an Indiana fishing license ($23 a year for residents, $60 for nonresidents). Fishing for trout or salmon also needs the $11 trout/salmon stamp.
What is the stage on the East Arm Little Calumet River?
NWS gauge East Arm Little Calumet River at Porter printed 3.56 ft at 2026-11-05 19:45:00 UTC (dated).
Where do I get crawlers for the East Arm Little Calumet River?
Head to Country Bait & Taxidermy, about 5 miles away,.
What state status does the East Arm Little Calumet River have?
State lists name it: DNR put-and-take salmonid stream; DNR salmonid stream.
What is the run timing on the East Arm Little Calumet River?
Coho and Chinook salmon (stream): September through mid-November. Skamania (summer-run) steelhead (stream): Mid-July to mid-October; winter months January through March, depending on stream conditions; return from July (sometimes mid-June), spawn mid-February to March. Michigan (winter-run) steelhead (stream): Mid-November to mid-March; return from mid to late October with the bulk in February and March; spawn March to mid-April.
Watch the gauge, then float the East Arm Little Calumet River
Know the slot before the first cast.